Ophidian
}} Ophidians were once human but no longer retain any vestige of their humanity and no aspirations to a lifestyle other than servitude. They are happy to carry out the orders of more powerful serpentfolk, including dark nagas, spirit nagas and yuan-ti. Ophidians almost never act independently of their masters. An ophidian has a wide, serpentine torso with short, stubby legs and humanoid arms ending in clawed hands. Its head is lizardlike, and its tail is short in proportion to its body. These monstrous humanoids walk upright and can climb in a sort of half-slither, like a snake. Its scales are typically mottled green and yellow, with brown, black and red also appearing in some individuals. An ophidian's scales change color to help it blend into wooded or subterranean surroundings. Ophidians have little in the way of society, living to serve the yuan-ti and never worry about building their own culture. Ophidians perform much of the unpleasant labor for the yuan-ti, and they serve on the front lines whenever danger from the outside threatens their masters. Ophidians that lose their yuan-ti masters immediately seek some other powerful Scaled One to serve. Should such a master not be immediately available, they simply wander aimlessly, fighting with one another and any other creatures they happen to encounter. Ophidians are malicious creatures that delight in the torture and destruction of other races. Despite their innate cruelty, they are fawning and servile in dealings with more powerful Scaled Ones. They worship no particular deity of their own, simply worshiping the deity their masters tell them to. In combat they use whatever equipment their masters provide, but they make none of their own. Masterless ophidians often use scavenged weapons. Ophidian females lay their eggs in any convenient place and then abandon them. No ophidian, male or female, feels any connection to its young, or indeed any need to care for them unless so ordered. When the young ophidians hatch, they swarm aimlessly in search of food until an older ophidian or other serpentfolk gives them direction. Ophidians are raised in servitude, receiving ever more complex orders in keeping with their age and physical power. Society The ophidian have a strict caste system, enforced not by societal laws but by physiology. Each of the three subraces has its position in society,and any attempt to rise above it results in swift reprisal from the paranoid ophidian above them. The hominis caste is the most recent creation of the ophiduan, the final result of centuries of crossbreeding and experimentation. Due to their enhanced abilities, they were swiftly able to rise to a position of leadership of the ophidian nature, becoming both secular and spiritual leaders. The mighty palaces of the ophidian imperatoris (emperors) double as temples, the imperatoris as priests. They preside over rituals of dark prayers and blood sacrifice, conducted in the name of gods unheard of in civilized lands. Their cities stand in the midst of thick forests, wild jungles, hidden mountain passes, and anywhere else they can hide from the eyes of humanity. Should anyone draw near enough to see, however, the high walls and sweeping arches of their temples are unmistakable. As befits a race of snake-like creatures, their architecture favors tight spaces, ramps or shallow steps, and rooms built with floors and ledges at various heights. Their tools and weapons are similarly built, favoring flexibility and speed over brute force. In addition to their role as leaders and priests, the hominic caste serves as the face of the ophidian in their rare political dealings with other races, as only they can pass as humans.The anguineum caste occupies the roles of low-level politicians, military officers, elite soldiers, bodyguards and craftsmen, while the semiferum caste serves as manual laborers, foot soldiers, and gladiators. Characters The race consists of a variety of castes, some more monstrous in appearance than others, although the most commonly sighted appear closer to scaly humanoids than monstrous creatures. This hominis caste of the ophidian race is the dominant caste of the society, due both to culture and being the most populous of the castes. The hominis caste is actually the progenitor caste of the ophidian race, while the other castes are experimentations and mutations of ophidian. Ophidian culture is based in and around the Ophid Protectorate, where they make up the majority race. Regions Ophidian are typically only found in the Ophid Protectorate, which is located in the southern portion of the continent. However, as with any race, there are those who travel for a variety of reasons, so the scaled humanoids have been encountered outside of their own lands, albeit rarely. Racial Abilities Ophidian have the following racial traits: • +2 Dexterity, –2 Charisma: ophidian are lithe, but cold in demeanor and monstrous in appearance • Monstrous Humanoid: ophidian are not subject to powers or effects that affect humanoids only, such as an unaugmented psionic charm or psionic dominate. • Medium: As Medium creatures, ophidian have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Ophidian base land speed is 30 feet. • Scaled Hide: An ophidian’s skin is hardened scales and grants the character a +1 natural armor bonus to AC. • Naturally Psionic: Ophidian gain 1 bonus power point per character level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class. • Serpent’s Bite (Ps): Once per day, an ophidian can alter their jaws, gaining a bite attack that deals 1d8 points of damage, plus an extra 1d8 points of damage per five character levels beyond 1st. This effect lasts for 1 minute. Manifester level is equal to Hit Dice. • Darkvision: ophidian can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and ophidian can function just fine with no light at all. • +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison. • Favored Class: Psychic warrior or Society Mind. This choice must be made at 1st level and cannot be changed. Category:Ophidians Category:Humanoids Category:Serpentfolk